A Future With You
by BlazingEmblem
Summary: When he had first come to Tokyo on probation, he was sure that he didn't have a future. But now, he couldn't imagine a future without her. Written for Day 7 of ShuMako Week 2020: Wedding/Proposal


He loved Makoto more than anything, and he thought she deserved the world.

Thankfully, that happened to be his arcana.

He loved her so much, in fact, that he was even willing to risk his life on something more dangerous than taking on Yaldabaoth himself.

"Ren-kun." Sae addressed, interrupting his thoughts. "You wanted to meet with me?"

To ask her elder sister for her blessing.

They weren't enemies anymore, sure. In fact, they were rather close as of late.

But even still, he couldn't help but feel a little afraid of what her reaction would to what he wanted.

Hopefully, he had built up enough good will to not be immediately be murdered as soon as he asked.

"I wanted to ask you something." he finally said, nervously shifting in his seat. "It's… very important."

"I see." Sae nodded. "And what would that be?"

There wasn't much point in trying to beat around the bush, especially with someone as shrewd as

"I… wanted to ask for your blessing." he confessed.

She gave a deep sigh. "I knew this day would come."

"N-Now Sae-san, I know how you must feel, but I-"

"Ren-kun, let me speak." Sae interrupted.

He immediately stiffened, shutting his mouth.

"I acknowledge that both very responsible and financially stable with the careers you have. And you've been dating for more than seven years now." Sae noted.

That was true. They were even living together at the moment.

Sae had… had raised numerous objections to that at first, though she eventually relented.

"I'm not against the idea of Makoto getting married per se." Sae mentioned. "But Niijimas have fairly high expectations."

"And… do I meet those expectations?" he asked.

"Well, you've got a strong sense of justice, you're dependable, intelligent, compassionate…" she trailed off.

"Sae-san?"

"You've always been there for her… even when I wasn't" Sae said. "You've risked your life for her and your friends numerous times. And you saved the entire world from a malevolent God."

"Then…?"

Sae gave a small smile. "I suppose you meet my expectations… just barely, though."

"T-Thank you, Sae-san!" he grinned.

"Sae is fine." she insisted.

His eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't say that if I wasn't." she said matter-of-factly.

"Then… you can call me Ren." he offered, still a little nervous.

She let out a small laugh. "You're even more nervous than the time I interrogated you. And your life was on the line then."

It still felt like it was, to be honest…

"She means a lot to me." he told her. "She's… always been there for me. And she's had such a positive influence on me. I… probably wouldn't be here right now, if not for her.

"I know." Sae nodded. "You've had a positive influence on her as well. Both of us, actually. Without the two of you, I shudder to think about what I could have become… just how amoral of a prosecutor I'd be. And Makoto… if you didn't help her with Kaneshiro..."

She let her words trail off, both knowing what she was implying.

What he didn't expect, however, was what came next…

Sae Niijima, _the Sae Niijima, _wrapped her arms around him and brought him into a hug.

"Thank you for everything." Sae said. "And please… look after my baby sister."

"I will." he said, slowly returning her hug. "I promise."

She broke off the hug, and after he confirmed that there wasn't a knife stuck in his back, she spoke again.

"The two of you have been together for so long, that I've considered you part of the family already." Sae admitted. "It's… it's really nice to have our family grow instead of shrink…"

"So, does that mean I can start calling you Sis now?" he smirked.

"Gross. Don't do that." Sae ordered, but she still had a smile on her face.

He thanked the prosecutor, chatting a bit more about their work before leaving.

* * *

And with that, he was completely prepared.

He had the ring stashed in a secure location.

They were both off of work tomorrow.

So tomorrow would be perfect.

Going into their shared home, he found that she had already plopped into bed, so he climbed in after her.

"Rough day?" he asked.

"Mmm-hmm…" she tiredly nodded.

"Well, we're both off tomorrow." he mentioned. "So, let's just do something fun. Just the two of us, the whole day."

"That sounds nice." she whispered. "What should we do?"

"I already have a plan." he assured her. "Good night, Makoto."

"Good night, Ren." she said.

She gave him a sleepy kiss before they both closed their eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

He had wanted to make a wonderful breakfast for Makoto this morning.

But apparently, she had other plans.

Her arms wrapped around him and her head was nuzzled into his chest, a big smile on her face.

And he would never deny her morning cuddles, especially on her day off.

"Nggh… hands where I can see them." she muttered, still half asleep.

"Heh… go get them, Officer." he chuckled.

"Fist of Justice." she murmured, flailing her fist in her sleep.

God, he loved this woman.

Thankfully, her flailing allowed her to sneak away for a second, in order to make breakfast for the two of them.

A bit later, he heard footsteps walking down the hall.

"Lured here by coffee, love?" he smiled.

He quickly noticed that she was already wearing her uniform.

"Ren, my alarm didn't go off this morning!" she quickly said. "I need to hurry and-"

"Makoto, you're off today, remember?" he mentioned.

"O-Oh, r-right." she stammered. "I… I've just been so busy these past few days…"

"Which is why I let you sleep in." he told her. "And why I suggested that we have a day just to ourselves."

"O-Oh…"

"I mean… unless you want to arrest me, officer?" he cooed, winking.

She simply shook her head, smiling as she took a sip of her coffee.

"You made my favorite." she beamed up at him, perking up.

"Of course." he smiled. "I told you that I've got everything planned out for us today!"

"Are you going to tell me what you have planned?" she asked.

"Nope! It's a secret." he grinned.

"...You know I'm not the biggest fan of surprises." she said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sure that you'll like this one." he promised, kissing her cheek.

After finishing their breakfast together, they set out for their day together.

"It's showtime." he whispered to himself.

* * *

"Oh, the arcade?" she said, a curious expression on her face.

"Do you remember when we first came here?" he asked, a gentle expression on his face.

She took a few moments to think it over before her eyes widened in anticipation.

"Oh! We went here when we were kids." she recalled. "I wanted to know more about how other kids spent their time."

"Right, and I suggested this arcade." he mentioned. "I'm glad that it's still up now. It's pretty special to me."

"Yes… it's the first place where we really spent time together." she whispered. "And… it's where I realized my feelings for you."

"All the way back then, huh?" he said.

"What about you?" she asked. "When did you… realize?"

"Hmm… probably when you awakened to your persona."

"Really?" she gasped. "That soon?"

"You were pretty badass back there." he grinned.

"Y-Yes, well, why don't we head inside?" she said, a slight blush on her face.

The went inside of the arcade, seeing the old arcade machines still there, including a Gun About cabinet from before. There were also plenty of claw games in the back, containing plenty of plush toys of popular cartoon mascots, including…

"Ren! Look!" she cried out. "I-I-It's Buchi-kun!"

"Looks like it." he grinned. "Good thing I brought a lot of quarters."

"You're going to go for it?" she asked.

"Of course." he smirked. "I've got this."

He took a few tries to get a handle of it, but soon enough, he managed to snag the adorable panda bear with the claw.

He watched with great amusement as his girlfriend's eyes tracked the claw's every move, quickly moving to grab it when it fell down the shute.

"One more for the collection, huh?" he said.

"Thank you so much, Ren!" she beamed.

"What do you say to a round of Gun About?" he asked.

She nodded, confidence shining through her eyes. "Let's do it."

They both got into position, guns at the ready.

To her credit, she was much better composed than last time, but she still couldn't help but let out little squeaks whenever the enemies on screen hit her.

They did significantly better than last time, a proud expression on Makoto's face when she saw them on the high score.

"I guess my police training has made me a much better shot." she observed.

"Well, you did already have plenty of practice before you joined." he pointed out.

"That's true." she replied, fondly recalling their metaverse days. "So, where to next?"

"We actually spent a lot of time here." he mentioned. "Why don't we go and get lunch?"

* * *

"Monjayaki, huh?" Makoto commented. "I remember when you brought me here before."

"I thought it would be a good new experience for us." he mentioned.

"It really was." she agreed. "I was a little surprised when I found out that you had to prepare the food yourself, but it turned out to be really fun!"

"I remember we both ended up eating quite a lot." he recalled.

"The food was really good!" she said excitedly. "And now that I'm more confident in my cooking abilities, I'm sure it'll taste even better now!"

She immediately set to work at fixing various types of Monjayaki.

"This is great!" he exclaimed, eagerly devouring his food.

"I'm glad that you think so!" she replied.

She stared at her bowl, a bright smile on her face.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"It's just… I really have learned so much from spending time with you." she said. "So many things that I could never have learned in a textbook."

"I've learned a lot from you too." he confessed. "Like how to open up to other people, and about love. I... was really nervous at first when we started dating."

"Really? But you always seemed to confidant." she recalled. "I mean, you were always the one to initiate in the beginning."

"That's... because I really wanted to kiss you." he admitted.

"R-Ren..." she whispered, a bashful smile on her face.

They finished their meal, indulging in many different kinds of Monjayaki.

"Urgh… I think I ate a little bit too much." Makoto muttered. "I think I might need to sit down for a moment.

"Guess we'll have to lay off the popcorn then." he noted.

"Popcorn?" she repeated.

"You'll see." he winked.

* * *

Even after years of being together, some things never changed.

Including his girlfriend's reaction to Yakuza movies.

Her fists were clenched in anticipation the entire time, letting out a loud cheer at the climax of the movie.

"That was amazing!" she exclaimed as they walked out of the theater.

She was holding a bunch of Yakuza merchandise that she had been sold at the theater.

"I could tell how much you enjoyed it." he said. "You were on the edge of your seat the entire time."

She frowned. "You did enjoy the movie, didn't you? You didn't just do this for me?"

He shook his head. "I like these movies too. But I also love seeing you so happy. I love it when you gush over Buchimaru or get excited over Yakuza movies. Seeing you so happy makes me happy."

"You're so sweet." she beamed, pecking him on the cheek.

As they were making their way towards their next destination, he noticed a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Something on your mind?" he asked.

"It's not that I don't appreciate this." she said. "But is there a special occasion?"

He could practically see the gears in her head turning.

He would have to choose his words carefully as to not tip her off…

"Well, I know that we've both been working really hard lately." he mentioned. "So I wanted to have a day for just the two of us. To remember all the great times we've had together. To let you know just how much I love you."

"I… I don't know what to say." she whispered, her voice cracking a bit. "This… this means so much to me."

"Anything for my Queen." he said softly.

* * *

Ōsanbashi Pier.

One of the most important locations to them.

It had been where they had spent their first Valentine's Day together, closing a lock together that symbolized that they'd be together forever.

By this point, it was well into the evening, so there weren't many people walking around.

They found a bench to sit down, watching the sunset together.

He wrapped his arm around her as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I noticed that our lock's still there." she smiled. "Even after all this time.

"And we're still together." he told her. "I love you even more than I did back then."

"And I love you more every day." she whispered. "Please… stay with me forever."

"I will." he said with the utmost conviction. "I promise."

They sat down in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company at the sun set.

"It's getting late." she mentioned. "We should be heading home."

"Not yet." he argued. "There's one more place that I want to bring you."

* * *

Leblanc.

Of all the places they had been to, this was the one that meant the most to them.

It had been their main base of operations for their time as Phantom Thieves.

Countless cups of coffee and stolen kisses over study sessions.

Their first moments of intimacy had been shared here.

She watched him prepare curry and coffee with an enamored look on her face.

"Amazing as always." she complimented.

"Thank you." he nodded. "I actually have one more surprise for you."

"Ren, you've already done so much." she said. "Just being with you is enough for me."

"But you deserve so much more." he said, cupping her cheek "And I want to give you everything I have to offer."

He drew her into a kiss before heading upstairs, grabbing just what he needed.

He could feel nervousness gripping at him, but it was too late to second guess himself.

He grabbed the box he placed in the attic, and headed downstairs.

"I… have something to give you." he said. "I hope that you'll accept."

He got down on one knee…

"R-Ren?!"

And held out a box.

"O-Oh." she stammered. "It's a Buchimaru pencil case."

"I figured that your old one was a little worn." he mentioned. "So I managed to snag you a new one."

She had a radiant smile, but he could tell that she had expected something different.

"Oh? Were you expecting something different?" he smirked. "Something like… this!"

With a flick of his thumb, he unclasped the Buchimaru pencil box, revealing what was inside.

A diamond ring.

"Makoto…" he trailed off. "From the moment I saw you awaken to your Persona, I was completely infatuated with you. You were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and that still holds true today. And when you asked me to help you broaden your horizons, I was ecstatic. When I began to spend more time with you, I realized that I didn't just have a crush. I was madly in love with you."

Tears were beginning to flow down her face now, but she still smiled, letting him continue.

"You were a brave, kindhearted, intelligent woman with a strong sense of justice." he continued. "I've never been happier than the day when we became study partners. And… we've been through a lot since then. Sae's Shadow, the interrogation, Yaldabaoth, my jail sentence, and even the year we spent apart. But we've made it through all of it together. You've saved my life so many times… it's because of you that I'm able to confess just how much you mean to me."

He could feel tears begin to form in his eyes as well.

He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself for what would be one of the most important moments of his life.

"When I first came here to Tokyo, I thought I didn't have a future." he confessed. "But now, thanks to you and all the others, I realize that I do have one. But I can't imagine having a future without you. I want to be your study partner for the rest of my life. I want us to learn how to be husband and wife together. I want us to learn how to be parents together. I want us to grow old and grey, doting on grandchildren together. Everywhere I brought you today are places filled with cherished memories of us. And I want to make even more…"

He took one final breath before looking right into her crimson eyes, his expression filled with pure love.

"Makoto Niijima, would you marry me?"

By now, tears were freely falling down her face.

"R-Ren, I..." she whispered. "Yes! Yes, yes, I will marry you!"

She immediately pulled him into a kiss, savoring the slight taste of coffee on his lips.

"I love you." she whispered. "I love you, Ren, I…"

She continued to tell him she loved him, over and over, completely overwhelmed by emotion.

"May I?" he asked, holding out the ring.

She quickly nodded, holding out her hand for him to put on the ring.

Overcome by joy, she lifted him up into the air and spun him around before embracing him.

"W-Woah." he chuckled. "I didn't expect that."

"I'm just so happy." she giggled, nuzzling into his chest.

"Hey." he whispered, taking out his phone. "Why don't we let the others know?"

"Y-Yeah." she nodded. "Let's do that."

He snapped a picture of the two of them, sending it to the old group chat along with a message.

Ren: Guess who just became a king?

Ryuji: Huh? What are you talking about?

Ann: OH

Ann: MY

Ann: GOD

Ann: ASDFGHJKL?!

Ryuji: What the heck's up with you?

Ann: RYUJI!

Ann: LOOK AT HER HAND!

Ryuji: Ok, ok…

Ryuji: FOR REAL?!

Makoto: We're engaged!

Haru: Congratulations! I'm so happy for the both of you!

Futaba: S Support achieved!

Futaba: But you should have just had me hack into of the screens in Shibuya like with Shido. Let the whole town know your love for her.

Ryuji: Hah! Ren would totally pull something like that.

Makoto: That would be a bit much...

Ren: Pretty sure that would also get me arrested.

Futaba: You're no fun!

Yusuke: I shall endeavor to make sure your wedding is the grandest artistic spectacle!

Haru: Oh, that's right! Mako-chan, we should go shopping for dresses!

Ann: AHHH! I'm just so happy for you two! You're perfect for each other!

Ryuji: Yeah, congrats you guys.

The two continued speaking with their fellow Thieves, all of them offering plenty of support.

A bit later, they rested at their favorite booth together.

"I still can't believe you hid the ring in Buchi-kun. That was the sappiest thing you've ever done." she laughed. "I loved it."

"I figured you would." he grinned, before leaning back.

"You know, when I get older and retire…" he trailed off. "Maybe I'll open a small cafe like this."

"Always have to be working, huh?" she smiled. "It's the same for me, really."

"Maybe we could open a cafe together, then, when we're old and grey." he said. "Your cooking's fantastic."

"That sounds wonderful." she beamed, delighted with the idea of growing old with him.

"Still, that's a long way away." he said. "There'll be so much for us to experience and learn along the way."

"Well, no matter what happens, we'll be fine." she said. "Because we'll be together."

"Forever." he finished.

The moonlight shining on her new ring, they shared one last kiss before heading home, eager to spend the rest of their lives together.


End file.
